Rose plant-olyciso variety

ABSTRACT

A new rose plant of the Floribunda Class is provided having attractive bicolor semi-double flowers. Such flowers are china pink on the inside and whitish-cream suffused with china rose on the outside. The rose plant is particularly suitable for forcing under greenhouse conditions to abundantly yield cut flowers. Under such growing conditions, commonly one flower is formed per stem; however, additional blossoms per stem may be produced particularly when grown out-of-doors and/or during the spring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a new variety of roseplant of the Floribunda Class which is distinguished from priorvarieties by the following characteristics:

(a) from the physical point of view, the rose plant with light greenwood has bicolor semi-double flowers which are china pink on the insideand whitish-cream suffused with china rose on the outside; and

(b) from the biological point of view, the rose plant has vigorousvegetation, produces flowers in abundance and particularly is amenableto greenhouse forcing, is not particularly susceptible to diseases, andforms long lasting flowers comprising petals which detach cleanly.

In view of these characteristics the new variety meets the needs of thehorticultural industry, and particularly is suited for the production oflong lasting cut flowers. Accordingly, the rose plant of the presentvariety may be classified as being a member of the Sweetheart Class.However, when the rose plant is grown out-of-doors it commonly exhibitstypical Floribunda characteristics such as multiple buds per stem.

The new variety was created by artificial pollination whereby twoparents which previously had been studied for the possession of thecharacteristics sought in the new variety were combined.

The seed parent of the new variety was the variety MERKO (non-patented)and the male parent was the variety MINUETTE (U.S. Plant Pat. No.3,162).

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and plantletswere obtained which were physically and biologically different from eachother. Selective study resulted in the identification of a single plantof the new variety. Extensive testing has confirmed the behavior andchracteristics of the new variety which is particularly suited for theabundant production in a greenhouse of long lasting cut flowers having adistinctive bicolor appearance.

The characteristics and properties of the new variety have been found tobe fully transmissible by agamic means, also called "asexual", i.e., bymeans of vegetative propagation, in particular by bench grafting, fieldbudding, etc. on various understocks.

The rose plant of the new variety has been designated the OLYCISOvariety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows typical specimens of plant parts andfoliage of the present variety obtained from two-year old plants growingon Rosa indica understock during June in a greenhouse at Cap d'Antibes,France. The color shown is as nearly true as it is reasonably possibleto make the same in a color illustration of this character.

FIG. 1 is a specimen of young shoot;

FIG. 2 is a specimen of a bud before the opening of the sepals;

FIG. 3 is a specimen of a bud at the opening of the sepals;

FIG. 4 is a specimen of a bud at the opening of the petals;

FIG. 5 is a specimen of a recently opened flower;

FIG. 6 is a specimen of a half-open flower -- plan view -- obverse;

FIG. 7 is a specimen of a half-open flower -- plan view -- reverse;

FIG. 8 is a specimen of a fully open flower -- plan view -- obverse;

FIG. 9 is a specimen of a fully open flower -- plan view -- reverse;

FIG. 10 is a specimen of a fully open flower just prior to petal drop --plan view -- obverse; the reverse is also shown, next to FIG. 4, but isnot numbered.

FIG. 11 is a specimen of the stamen arrangement after the petals havebeen removed;

FIG. 12 is a specimen of the pistil arrangement after the petals andstamens are removed;

FIG. 13 is a specimen of a main branch from which flowering stems willgrow;

FIG. 14 is a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 15 is a specimen of a leaf with three leaflets, under surface;

FIG. 16 is a specimen of a leaf with five leaflets, upper surface; and

FIG. 17 is a specimen of a leaf with seven leaflets, under surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The plants described were grown on Rosa indica understock during June ina greenhouse at Cap d'Antibes, France.

The chart utilized in the identification of the colors is that of TheRoyal Horticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart).

Class: Floribunda.

Plant:

Height.--On the basis of the cutting back of the plants in greenhousesto approximately 0.85 m., the length of the cut flower bearing stemsreaches approximately 30 to 40 cm.

Bearing.--Erect.

Branches:

Color.--Young stems: Light green 146B (Yellow-Green Group). Mature wood:Light green 146B (Yellow-Green Group) with some reddish blush.

Prickles.--Upper edge: Straight with slight curve at base. Under edge:Slightly concave. Size: Average. Quantity: Average on lower part ofplant, but less on flower bearing stems. Color on young stems: Reddishat base and become greenish at tip. Color on mature wood: Havana brown.

Leaves:

Stipules.--Adnate, pectinate, fairly narrow and linear.

Petioles.--Inner surface: grooved, reddish, brown (young foliage) andmedium green more or less suffused with red (adult foliage) with more orless glandular edges.

Folioles.--Number: three, five (most often), and occasionally seven.Sometimes the first pair of leaflets is incomplete. Shape: Ellipticalwith symmetrical round base and an acuminate apex. Teeth: Simple andvery regular. General effect: Foliage is ample, dense, and has a fairlydull appearance.

Color.--Young foliage: Upper surface: Reddish brown. Under surface:Reddish brown Adult foliage: Upper surface: Dark green 147A(Yellow-Green Group). Under surface: Light green 147B (Yellow-GreenGroup) and somewhat suffused with a rouge tinge.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Commonly one flower per stem when grown in agreenhouse; however, additional blossoms (e.g. up to approximately fourper stem or more) may be produced particularly when grown out-of-doorsand/or during the spring.

Peduncle.--Erect, rigid, slightly glandular.

Sepals.--Upper surface: Tomentose, greenish. Under surface: Light green,very slightly glandular. The outer sepals have a few appendages at theiredges.

Bud.--Shape: Oblong. Length: Approximately 2.5 cm. on average. Width:Slender. Color when opening begins: Upper surface: Red-Purple Group 58Bon outside petals and Red-Purple Group 57A towards the center. Undersurface: Whitish with a margin of Red-Purple Group 58B which suffuses toRed-Purple Group 58C toward the center of the petal.

Flower.--Shape: Initially with parallel sides and subsequently in theform of a hollow cup, semi-double flower. Diameter: Approximately 8 cm.on average. Color when first opening: Upper surface: Red-Purple Group58B becoming lighter at the base of the petal where yellowish colorationis present. Under surface: Red-Purple Group 58D suffused with Red Group55D Color during the course of opening: Upper surface: Red-Purple Group58C breaking down to Red-Purple Group 58D. Under surface: Whitishsuffused to a large degree with Red Group 55D. Color just before petaldrop: Upper surface: Red-Purple Group 64D and becoming lighter near thebase of the petal. Under surface: Whitish with some tones of Gray-PurpleGroup 186C. Fragrance: None. Lasting quality: Average to good. Corolla:Petals: Texture: Firm. Shape: Rounded; the tip of the outside petals maybe notched. Number: Approximately 18 on average. Shedding petals: Thepetals drop off cleanly. Stamens: Number: Approximately 131 on average.Anthers: Usual, yellow in coloration. Filaments: Bright yellow,irregular in height. Pistils: Number: Approximately 43 on average.Stigmas: Normal, straw colored. Styles: Twisted, fuchsia at top,irregular in height. Receptacle: Light green at the dehiscence of theanthers, and in longitudinal section it is narrow and in the shape of ajug.

Development:

Vegetation.--Vigorous.

Flowering.--Abundant.

Aptitude to forcing.--Very good.

Resistance to diseases.--Good.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct vareity of Floribunda rose plant ofvegetative reproduction substantially as illustrated and described bythe fact that:(a) from the physical point of view, the rose plant withlight green wood has bicolor semi-double flowers which are china pink onthe inside and whitish-cream suffused with china rose on the outside;and (b) from the biological point of view, the rose plant has vigorousvegetation, produces flowers in abundance and particularly is amenableto greenhouse forcing, is not particularly susceptible to diseases, andforms long lasting flowers comprising petals which detach cleanly.